Ralph Fletcher Ralph Fletcher is a friend of writing teachers everywhere. Born in Plymouth, Massachusetts, he received his bachelor's degree from Dartmouth College and his master's degree from Columbia University. A former member of the Teachers College Writing Project, he is currently an author and consultant. He is the author or coauthor with his wife, JoAnnn Portalupi, of numerous professional books and videos.
Recommended Teacher Resources
Cover Image
Fletcher and Portalupi explain the principles behind the writing workshop and explore the major components that make it work. Each chapter addresses an essential element, then suggests five or six specific things a teacher can do to implement the idea under discussion. There's also a separate chapter entitled "What About Skills," which shows how to effectively teach skills in the context of writing. The book closes with practical forms in the appendixes to ensure that the workshop runs smoothly.
Writers are like other people, except for at least one important difference. Other people have daily thoughts and feelings, notice this sky or that smell, but they don't do much about it. Not writers. Writers react. And writers need a place to record those reactions. That's what a writer's notebook is for. It gives you a place to write down what makes you angry or sad or amazed, to write down what you noticed and don't want to forget . . . .
===As you can see, Ralph Fletcher is the go-to guy for launching writing workshop. When it comes to clarifying the qualities of good writing, this book is filled with ideas and exercises that you can present to students to strengthen the overall quality of their writing. Again, you will only share short excerpts as it suits the needs you recognize in your writers, but, again, it is a gem from cover to cover.====== === h
While the other two Ralph Fletcher recommendations were “how-to” guides, Marshfield Dreams is a memoir. Filled with enchanting stories of Fletcher’s youth, this book is a great springboard to helping children generate ideas and recognize value in their own life experiences. A writing workshop favorite: Statue on page 9.
Gr 4-7 Fletcher gives readers and educators many practical and supportive tips. To get started, he suggests a few exercises, including having budding autobiographers write about their names and draw a map of their neighborhood. From there, writers must find a focus, keeping readers in mind as they write. He explains that the gist of the story should be honest, though dialogue and sometimes even characters might be invented for literary flow. He addresses telling embarrassing facts about oneself; similarly, he gives examples of times when writers reveal unflattering truths about friends and family. Interspersed within the text are interviews with Jack Gantos, Kathi Appelt, and Jerry Spinelli, along with passages from the author's own memoir, Marshfield Dreams (Holt, 2005).
Other Writer's Workshop ResourcesClick the Links Below!
Page created by Jessica
Ralph Fletcher
Ralph Fletcher is a friend of writing teachers everywhere. Born in Plymouth, Massachusetts, he received his bachelor's degree from Dartmouth College and his master's degree from Columbia University.
A former member of the Teachers College Writing Project, he is currently an author and consultant. He is the author or coauthor with his wife, JoAnnn Portalupi, of numerous professional books and videos.
Recommended Teacher Resources
Writers are like other people, except for at least one important difference. Other people have daily thoughts and feelings, notice this sky or that smell, but they don't do much about it.
Not writers. Writers react. And writers need a place to record those reactions. That's what a writer's notebook is for. It gives you a place to write down what makes you angry or sad or amazed, to write down what you noticed and don't want to forget . . . .
While the other two Ralph Fletcher recommendations were “how-to” guides, Marshfield Dreams is a memoir. Filled with enchanting stories of Fletcher’s youth, this book is a great springboard to helping children generate ideas and recognize value in their own life experiences. A writing workshop favorite: Statue on page 9.
Gr 4-7 Fletcher gives readers and educators many practical and supportive tips. To get started, he suggests a few exercises, including having budding autobiographers write about their names and draw a map of their neighborhood. From there, writers must find a focus, keeping readers in mind as they write. He explains that the gist of the story should be honest, though dialogue and sometimes even characters might be invented for literary flow. He addresses telling embarrassing facts about oneself; similarly, he gives examples of times when writers reveal unflattering truths about friends and family. Interspersed within the text are interviews with Jack Gantos, Kathi Appelt, and Jerry Spinelli, along with passages from the author's own memoir, Marshfield Dreams (Holt, 2005).
Other Writer's Workshop ResourcesClick the Links Below!
Writer's Workshop Live Binder
Busy Teacher Free Printables
Pinterest Resources
Resources for Young Writers
Top Ten Writing Rules From Famous Writers...Check it Out!!!!
A Peek Inside a Writer's Notebook
Watch the Video Below to take a tour of a Real Writer's Notebook